When nightmares come true
by rokeat
Summary: Ron is not his usual self... something is affecting him for sure, even in his health. Hermione and specially Harry are very worried about him, but will they be able to help him beofre it's too late? Please R&R!!!
1. There's something about Ron

Author's note: I don't own the characters of this story, are they are exclusively from J.K. Rowling and some companies, and I'm no taking any echonomic profit of this. I hope you enjoy it!  
  
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Harry, Ron and Hermione were having breakfast at the enormous Great Hall of Hogwarts. They were talking about different things, and it was when they ended talking about Quidditch and Ron didn't join the conversation that Harry noticed that his best friend was not his usual self, as it had been for several days now.  
  
'Ron, what's up?' Harry asked his friend.  
  
'Em?' It was obvious that Ron hadn't been listening to a word they were saying.  
  
'Come on, mate, what's the matter with you? You haven't been yourself for some days, but today it's just too much. You haven't slept well, I heard you tossing and turning all night long, now you aren't eating, you don't talk... what's wrong?'  
  
'Yeah, Ron, you know you can talk to us' said Hermione.  
  
Ron seemed to take a pause to think about his answer. It was not that he didn't trust his friends, it was clear that he had always gone to them when there had been a problem, but that was different. He didn't know himself what was happening, what was wrong with him, but SURELY THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG WITH HIM!  
  
'I appreciate your worries... but...' Ron doubted for a second, but decided to keep his problems to himself until he knew what they where. '...I'm perfectly alright... it's just what you said, Harry, I didn't sleep well last night and I must be tired, so there's nothing wrong with me that a good night of sleep won't cure.'  
  
Ron grabbed his fork and began to eat the sausages he had in front of him and hadn't touched yet. Harry and Hermione looked at each other, totally unconvinced by Ron's explanations, but both knew that to push Ron two much in that moment would be worse.  
  
When they had finished their breakfast, during which they had remained totally silent since they hadn't succeed in getting Ron to talk, they began walking towards the Dungeons, where they were taking a lesson from Potions, their least favourite subject "thanks" to the teacher, Severus Snape, that had shown from the first moment his deep hate for Gryffindor students, as he was the Head of Slytherin. They took third row's seats and sat down quickly, as Snape was already there and seemed to be in a bad mood. Ok, he always seemed to be in a bad mood, unless Malfoy, his protégéé, answered correctly to one of his questions, in which case he awarded Slytherin with ten points. As Snape began to explain them how to do a potion to change the colour of your hair, Ron began to drift again. The truth was that he was worried. He had been having nightmares for some days, every night, and he haven't been getting much sleep. He dreamed about his family and at first it was all perfectly normal: they were eating, all of them: Mum was serving, Dad was explaining some case from the Ministry, Percy was criticising something about the twins... and then the nightmare began: one after the other, the members of his family fell to the floor and died instantly, their faces ashen and their eyes blank. All except him, that without even flinching opened the door and went away.  
  
This nightmare was being horrible, but that was not all: he had headaches, he was feeling constantly nauseous, he felt tired, his bones ached... yeah, that could be due to his lack of sleep, but he didn't think so. He knew there was something more. And he didn't want to tell his friends this, because he didn't want them to worry about him or to tell his brothers or parents. And he didn't want them to know he was terrified. Why did all his family die in his dream? And why didn't he care and left? Was that the premonition to something, and he was going to be bewitched to kill his family? But why would anyone want him to do that?  
  
He was so absorbed in his thoughts that didn't heard Snape calling his name until Harry punched him in the elbow. By then it was to late to say anything, for Snape had already took ten points from Gryffindor due to "its student's lack of interest in the Subject".  
  
If Ron's attitude was looking strange to Harry and Hermione, what happened next surely didn't help to change their opinion. They were used by now to lose points every time they got Potions, especially the three of them and maybe Neville, so they could not believe the reaction from Ron.  
  
'You know what, Professor?' Ron shouted, making Hermione jump from her seat. 'I'm sick and tired of your stupid and evident favouritism to Slytherin. I know that your only point in life is to have Slytherin winning the House Cup, but it's not my fault that you are so bitter!'  
  
Snape seemed to shock a bit at Ron's eruption, for the boy usually didn't say a word when he was telling him off, but recovered himself quickly and tried to remain in his usual calm, deep voice.  
  
'Weasley, I think you are not listening to what you're saying'  
  
'I know perfectly well what I'm saying' Ron began again  
  
'Ron, shut up!' Harry murmured to Ron as he pulled at his friend's arm.  
  
'No, I don't want to shut up!' Ron told Harry, and turned again to address himself to Snape. 'You are so mean just 'cause anyone dares telling you what they think. That you can't get to be the Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor 'cause you are completely useless!'  
  
At this the whole class fell into absolute silence, even the Slytherins. This time Snape couldn't control himself. Everyone knew that being the Defence Against the Dark Arts professor was Snape's goal in life, and that until then he had wanted the job every year, but another person had get it, and so he was very frustrated.  
  
'That's the end of it, Weasley, I will not tolerate this amount of disrespect and insolence in my class. You've got a dettention... and fifty points will be taken from Gryffindor.' By now Ron's temper had cooled off and he was beginning to regret his outburst, not for he felt sorry about what he had said, for it was exactly what he thought of Snape, but for costing Gryffindor fifty points now that the end of the year was getting closer.  
  
When the class was finished Ron took his books and left his desk quickly, without waiting for anyone. Harry and Hermione were by now very worried about Ron, so they followed him although they didn't say anything. Surely they wanted to talk to him, but they decided it was best to wait until they were not in front of everyone else (including the slytherins). Unfortunately, they weren't able to stop Lavender Brown reproaching Ron for losing fifty points.  
  
'Ok, Weasley, you should be proud of yourself! There's no way we are winning the House Cup this year if you go losing our points like this.'  
  
'Come on, Lavender, give him a break!' Hermione tell her as she tried to keep up with Harry and Ron, who had begun walking even faster than before.  
  
Ron didn't stop until they reached the entrance to the Gryffindor Common Room. Without waiting for the other two he told the Fat Lady the password and entered. He was halfway upstairs to his bedroom when Harry finally caught up with him.  
  
'Ron, will you please stop?' Harry shouted from downstairs, almost exasperated.  
  
Ron stopped and turned to look at him. 'Something is troubling him for sure' Harry thought to himself. 'Look at his face'. There was not the usual sparkle in his eyes and he was very pale.  
  
'Ron, please' intervened Hermione, arriving at that moment. 'Come down with us. We want to talk to you.'  
  
The last thing Ron wanted to do at that moment was exactly that: talk. But he felt he owed his friends that, for they had had to bear his changes of mood and his silences and were still there, worried about him and wanting to help him. So he went downstairs and went directly to a chair near the fire. Hermione and Harry followed him and sat: Hermione in front of him and Harry at his side. They waited for Ron to began, but when he didn't it was Harry who talked.  
  
'Ron, we know there's something wrong with you that has nothing to do with a bad night. Why don't you talk to us?'  
  
'Is it that you don't trust us anymore?' said Hermione, knowing that this would break the ice with Ron.  
  
'Of course I trust you! It's not that...'  
  
'Then what is it?' Harry seemed genuinely worried about him.  
  
'It's just that I didn't want you to know that I'm... frightened."  
  
'Frightened? About what?'  
  
'I'm... I'm not alright. I mean... I don't know what's happening to me, but I can't sleep, I can't eat, my head hurts, my stomach hurts...'  
  
'Ron' Hermione told him, in a sweeter way than usual. 'Maybe it's just the flu. You should get to Madam Pomfrey, I heard Parvati Patil saying that there's been some cases on Second Year's Students and...'  
  
'That's not the worst of it' Hermione silenced instantly. The tone on Ron's voice was beginning to scare her. 'I've been... having nightmares.'  
  
'Nightmares?' Harry was very sensitive about nightmares, because he had had a few himself and most of them had come true. 'What are those nightmares about?' 'They're about my family. They all... die in front of me, and I do nothing. It's as if I don't care, I just leave the house, and that's where I always wake up.'  
  
'Oh, Ron...' It seemed as if Hermione didn't know what to say. 'I know nightmares can be very frightening, but that's all they are, nightmares, they are not true.'  
  
'You don't understand... in this nightmares I leave my family to die...' Ron's face was a mask of pure terror and Hermione and Harry saw what they hadn't seen before in Ron's eyes: tears. 'I leave them to die! It's almost as if I kill them myself!'  
  
Harry was at a loss for words. He had never seen his friend crying in five years, even when Ginny had been kidnapped and locked in the Chamber of Secrets, so he must be very troubled. He wanted to tell Ron not to worry, to tell him that Hermione was right and nightmares were not true, but he had not the heart to lie to him. He himself knew how terrifying (and how true) nightmares could be. So he just embraced him and let him cry in his shoulder, and for the first time in his life, Ron didn't refused the gesture. Hermione simply sat by his feet and held his hand. It was when they heard someone entering that they separated, because they didn't want to embarrass Ron. It was Lavender Brown, who came to deliver a message.  
  
'Weasley' She said, evidently still angry with him about the points. He didn't turn his faces because he didn't want her to see he had been crying but somehow she sensed he was not alright and softened. 'Em... Ron, Snape asked me to get you, you went away before he could tell you what was your detention.'  
  
'Oh perfect' Ron thought to himself, as he had forgotten about that. 'Thanks, Lavender, I'll go right now' Ron, still trying to hide his face, left the Gryffindor Common Room to get to Snape.  
  
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-- Well, so it looks like a fanfic... I hope you liked it, but even if not, please let me know! If someone is interested in the story, I'll surely go on with it. And oh, by the way, I hope you'll forgive my mistakes, as I'm Spanish and English is not my language!!!! 


	2. Worrying is a friend's prerrogative

Author's note: I don't own the characters of this story, are they are exclusively from J.K. Rowling and some companies, and I'm no taking any economic profit of this. I hope you enjoy it!  
  
Summary: Ron isn't coming back from Snape's detention...  
  
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While Ron was away, Harry and Hermione sat in the same place they had been when talking to Ron. Harry was cleaning his Firebolt while Hermione was pretending to read a book, but neither of them were much concentrated as they couldn't get Ron out of their minds. Now the knew what was troubling Ron, but they didn't know what was wrong with him. Hermione was just worried about his behaviour. She didn't think it was anything wrong with having nightmares, but it worried her how Ron was coping with them. Harry, on the other hand, was extremely preoccupied about the nightmares: Surely Ron would never hurt his family, there was no question about that, but what if someone was manipulating him? They had done that to Ginny successfully three years ago. But who would want to do that? Ron had only one enemy, and that was Draco Malfoy, but surely Malfoy didn't have the power to do that.  
  
It was two hours later that Seamus Finnigan arrived. He went directly to Harry and Hermione.  
  
'Hey, are you waiting for Ron? Don't bother, he's not coming anywhere soon.'  
  
'What do you mean, Seamus?' Harry asked him, his Firebolt instantly forgotten.  
  
'I come from the library and I met him in the Hall. Snape's making him clean all the corridors from the first floor just with a little rag.  
  
'That Snape... that's too much, it will take him hours!'  
  
'And he's not feeling well, remember...' said Hermione.  
  
'Maybe we could help him...'  
  
'No, you can't' intervened Seamus. 'He said Snape was going to be with him until he finished, no matter the time it takes him. I tell you, Dumbledore should supervise the detentions. Well, I'm off to sleep. Goodnight.' 'Well, Harry, there's no point in waiting him then, he may not come until dawn. We should get some sleep, for if he needs us later.'  
  
'Ok, but I'll try to stay alert for if he returns sooner than we expected. Good night, Hermione.'  
  
'Good night, Harry.'  
  
Harry and Hermione went upstairs and separated to go to each one's room. Harry put on his pyjamas and went to bed, but sleep didn't come easy. He didn't cease to think of Ron and how would he be right at that moment, tired, not feeling good physically, very emotional and humiliated before Snape's eyes. At last, however, he felt asleep.  
  
When he awakened next morning the first thing he did after putting on his glasses was to look at Ron's bed, but to his surprise it was empty, and it was obvious that it hadn't been slept in. Could it be that he was still cleaning the floor? He quickly dressed up with the idea of getting Hermione and go to look for Ron in his mind.  
  
When he went out of his room, where Seamus, Neville and Dean Thomas still slept, he noticed Hermione sitting next to the fire, already dressed. She wasn't doing anything, even reading, just staring into the fire. When she saw Harry she stood up and approached him.  
  
'How's Ron, Harry?' Hermione looked concerned.  
  
'Ron's not back yet, he hasn't sleep in his bed. I was thinking we could go and get him if...'  
  
Harry didn't finish his sentence as the hole that served as entrance to the Gryffindor common room opened and Ron entered. If he had been pale the day before it was nothing compared to how he was at that moment. He was dragging his foot, and had a flush on his face. Harry and Hermione run towards him. 'Ron, are you alright?!' asked Harry.  
  
'You look horrible' commented Hermione, worriedly.  
  
'That Snape...' Ron began but just then his eyes fluttered and he fell unconscious so quickly that Harry barely had time to catch him before he touched the floor.  
  
'Ron! Oh my God, Hermione, help me get him to a chair'  
  
Between the two of them they were able to take him to a chair nearby, and Hermione rushed to her room to grab a handkerchief and a bit of water to cool Ron's face and try to get him back to consciousness. Meanwhile Harry was trying to have Ron's cloak off of him to give him more air. As he touched Ron's face he notices he was burning with fever.  
  
'My God, Ron, what's wrong with you? Talk to me, mate, com on' Harry supplicated.  
  
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---- Oh, poor Ron, what's the matter with him... I hope you liked it, and I'm waiting for your reviews! Thank you!! 


	3. Someone to share your troubles

Author's note: I don't own the characters of this story, are they are exclusively from J.K. Rowling and some companies, and I'm no taking any economic profit of this. I hope you enjoy it!  
  
Summary: Ron is feeling really really bad, so finally he goes to Harry...  
  
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Very slowly, Ron opened his eyes, though it was very difficult for him to focus his vision. At first he thought that Harry and Hermione were the two people hovering over him, but then he took a better look and saw that it was his parents. He wasn't sure where he was, either. The last thing he remembered was falling in Harry's arms at the entrance of the Gryffindor tower. But it looked like somehow he had been moved to the hospital wing.  
  
'Ron' his mother spoke 'how are you, son?'  
  
'Hi, Mum' Ron answered, though it was difficult to find his own voice after all the confusion. 'Don't worry, Mum, I'm alright.'  
  
'Son' this time it was his father speaking 'you don't look alright to us... we hoped you would explain us what's the matter, Harry told us you haven't been your usual self for days'  
  
'I said I'm alright, you are gonna believe Harry instead of me?' Ron was beginning to feel infuriated.  
  
'Well, son, if you're so alright could you explain us why they had to bring you to the hospital wing?'  
  
'That's just 'cause I was tired! I just lost my strength for a second, no big deal!!'  
  
'But Ron...'  
  
'Just leave me alone!'  
  
At that Ron grabbed his father's neck between both his hands and squeezed the life out of him. His mother couldn't let out more than a gasp, but that was enough for Ron to notice her too and do the same thing with her. It was then when he realised what he had done. He looked at his hands, not believing that with them he had killed his parents. When the truth hit him with all its meaning, Ron couldn't help but shouting with all his strength, hoping against hope that nobody would hear him and come to see what had happened.  
  
'Ron' he heard his name called from far away. 'Ron, it's me, Harry... Take it easy, come on, it was just a nightmare. I'm here, come on, open your eyes.'  
  
'Harry?' Ron asked tentatively, as he opened his eyes and try to adjust them to the light. Harry was seated at the edge of the bed in which he was lying, apparently in the hospital wing.  
  
'Yeah, I'm here. Want to talk about...?'  
  
Ron didn't let Harry finish his sentence, as he abruptly sat up and clung to Harry with all his might. Harry, at first startled, soon wrapped his own arms around his best friend, hoping to offer him some solace of the terror he knew he was feeling. He heard Ron was starting to sob in his chest, and the only thing he knew to do was caress the back of his head. In spite of how worried he was about Ron's state, he couldn't help noticing how soft Ron's flaming hair felt against his hand.  
  
'Schht, Ron, it's alright, please, calm down. It was just a nightmare.'  
  
'It was not just a nightmare, it was the worst of all of them. Harry... in this one I didn't let my family die... in this one I killed them myself.'  
  
At that Harry broke the embrace and held Ron at arms' distance, so he could look at him right at the eyes. And he didn't like what he saw in them: only fear, terror, almost desperation. It was as if there was a plea of help in them, a help that Harry didn't know how to offer.  
  
'Ron, listen to me and listen well' it was difficult for Harry to be so stern, specially as Ron was so vulnerable at the moment, but he had to do it to convince him 'I know that your nightmares are horrible, but I don't think they have anything to do with reality.'  
  
'Harry, you better than anyone know that dreams, or nightmares, can be sort of predictions. What if I really end up killing my family?'  
  
'Ron, you know you wouldn't do that, not in a million years'  
  
'And what if I'm being possessed or something like this? What if I'm bewitched and somebody controls my actions? I could kill anybody before I noticed what I was doing!' by then Ron was really shouting, his face a mask of pure terror, tears falling uncontrollably across his reddened cheeks.  
  
At that Harry couldn't help embracing Ron again and holding him as sobs continued to shook his entire body. He was at a loss of words. Here was Ron, apparently always careless, strong, funny... crying his heart out, unable to talk, accepting every one of Harry's loving gestures.  
  
'Ron... I don't know what to say... I would like to tell you that everything's gonna be alright, that your nightmares are just that and that nothing's going to happen but... I can't be sure. But I can promise you something: I'm not leaving you alone for a moment. That way I will be able to stop you even if you aren't acting for yourself. How does that sound?'  
  
'Harry... I'm sorry I hid my problems from you...'  
  
'Ron, don't worry about that now...'  
  
'It's just that you are so good to me... I didn't want you to worry about me, you have so much things to worry yourself... I have never been able to help much...'  
  
'Ron, please...' Harry couldn't believe his ears. Ron, who had always been by his side, who had been his first friend, who had never cared about The-boy-who-lived thing, who had sacrificed himself at wizard's chess for him, who had defied Sirius when he thought he was going to kill Harry... who had always been there... thought he didn't help Harry much. 'I've never met anyone like you. How can you think you haven't helped me much? Ron, you've always been there, you're my best friend, you're my... everything.'  
  
At that Ron's sobs subsided immediately. He looked at Harry straight in the eyes, and looked at him as if he had never seen him before. Of course he loved Harry dearly, he had been his best friend since the first time he talked to him but... he had never felt towards Harry the way he was feeling at that moment. Right now he felt he would give his life for Harry if he only asked him to do it. That feeling, though, was no new for Harry, for he had been feeling it for some months now, only it was the first time he had dared saying anything about it. The truth was that he was extremely worried about his friend, and the only thing he wanted was to help him feeling better, so he had been trying putting his feelings apart and focusing on how to help Ron.  
  
Harry looked up at Ron, 'cause he sensed Ron was looking at him, and for the first time he thought he saw some correspondence of his feeling in the other boy's eyes. Just as he was thinking of what to say, Hermione entered, accompanied by Madam Pompfrey and Dumbledore.  
  
'Professor, he's here' she said hurriedly, as she rapidly approached  
  
to Ron's side.  
  
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-- Well, sorry for taking so much time to continue with the story, but I've been very very busy these months!! So finally there's the third chapter, I hope it hasn't let you down! Thank you to all the people that send me their reviews, they were so great! But I'm waiting for the reviews of this new chapter, ok? Oh, and please, if there's any huge mistake, please, let me know, my English is not very good. Thanks! 


	4. The moment of truth

Author's note: I don't own the characters of this story, are they are exclusively from J.K. Rowling and some companies, and I'm no taking any economic profit of this. I hope you enjoy it!  
  
Summary: It's easy to fool Madam Pompfrey, but not Dumbledore...  
  
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'Oh, Mr. Weasley, I see you are awake now. Miss Granger here told me you weren't feeling right...'  
  
'In fact, he fainted...' she interrupted.  
  
'Let me see, dear' Madam Pompfrey interrupted, kneeling beside the couch where Ron was laying, feeling for his pulse and checking his temper. 'How are you feeling, dear?'  
  
'I'm alright, don't worry'  
  
'If you were alright I don't think you'd have fainted. But the truth is I don't find anything unusual... maybe you were just tired, Hermione told me you've been working on a detention all night.'  
  
'Yeah... that's right... I'm just a bit tired'  
  
'Ron, you should tell them you haven't had much sleep for some nights now.'  
  
'Hermione...' Ron reprimanded Hermione, for he didn't want them to know about the nightmares.  
  
'Wait a moment, Mr. Weasley. 'What's that, you haven't slept for some nights?'  
  
'It's just that... I'm a bit nervous about the exams coming, you know... that's all...'  
  
'Ok, I'll give you something to help you sleep, how does that sound?'  
  
'Oh... thank you' Ron tried to look content, but he wasn't sure this was something good. Of course he wanted to sleep, but what if that meant more nightmares? Or worse nightmares? He wasn't sure he could cope with them. He looked at Harry and saw that he was thinking the same thing. At least he had Harry's understanding...  
  
'There you are...' Madam Pompfrey gave him a tiny bottle, which it contained a brown-coloured liquid that smelled awful even with the top on. 'You have one spoonful of his before you go to bed, ok? You'll sleep like a child in no time! I'm sorry, professor Dumbledore, but I have to go back to the hospital wing now, I have a lot of work to do.'  
  
'Of course, Poppy, you go'  
  
That immediately told Ron that maybe Madam Pompfrey was going, but not Dumbledore; he sure was staying there until he knew exactly what was happening. Ron wasn't sure why he didn't want anyone - except for Harry, of course - to know what was happening. He was afraid that if he told anyone about it, the person who was controlling him - for he was sure that this was the case - might get angry and make him do even more terrible things affecting his family.  
  
'Mr. Potter, Miss Granger, would you be so kind to let us talk in private, please?'  
  
'Yes, of course' Harry said, as he gently pushed Hermione towards the stairs. 'Ron, I'll be in our room, ok?' As he said this, he did a subtle caress in Ron's hand, that only he saw - and felt -, just to let him know that he had all his support, and that he would be waiting for him in their room, no matter how long it took for Ron to go up. Ron looked at him and simply smiled, and that told Harry much more than any words he could have said.  
  
'So now, Mr. Weasley' Dumbledore said as he looked at Ron straight in the eyes. 'Now I want you to tell me exactly what's going on.'  
  
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--- Well, I hope it's getting interested to you. I will update as soon as I can, but it's possible it takes me some time, 'cause I'm rellay busy these days. Enjoy it and review, please! 


	5. When nigtmares come true

Author's note: I don't own the characters of this story, are they are exclusively from J.K. Rowling and some companies, and I'm no taking any economic profit of this. I hope you enjoy it!

Summary: Someone is attacked at last...

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'I'm sorry, professor, but I already told you everything' Ron hoped Dumbledore would buy this, but he was sure he wasn't getting rid of the old man unless he explained everything.

'Ron' at that, Ron knew Dumbledore really cared about the whole thing, 'cause he had never called him by his first name before. 'I see in your eyes that something is bothering you very much, and maybe I could help.'

'Professor, I really appreciate your help, but I don't think there's anything you could do...'

'Maybe we could reach your parents then, maybe they can...'

'No!' the terror in Ron's voice surprised even the old wizard.

' What's the matter, Mr. Weasley? Why don't you want your parents to come?'

'Ok, I suppose you should know. Professor, a few weeks ago I started having horrible nightmares about...'

'Professor Dumbledore! Professor!' McGonaghall erupted suddenly into the room. She was running and appeared very frightened. 'One of the students in fifth grade has been attacked!'

'Attacked? What happened?' Dumbledore asked, getting up and away from Ron's bed.

'She must be under some kind of spell, 'cause she is breathing, but apart from that it's like she's dead. We found her in Gryffindor's common room.'

'Gryffindor?' Ron exclaimed. 'Who is she?'

'Oh, Mr. Weasley... Of course you have the right to know... It's your sister.'

'Oh, my God...' without leaving them time to react, he abandoned his bed in the hospital wing and ran towards the Gryffindor entrance.

After saying the right password and arriving to the common room, with Dumbledore and McGonaghall close at his heels, he found a lot of his companions around one of the tables, where Madame Pomfrey was attending Ginny, still seated on a chair with his upper body laid on the table in front of her. Ron passed through the crowd until he was right next to his little sister. He touched her head, but obtained no response, and that scared the hell out of him. Hermione and Harry were there too, and Harry put a hand on Ron's shoulder to give him his support.

'She has not been bewitched' Madame Pomfrey announced. 'She's been poisoned.'

'Poisoned? But who would do something like that? She doesn't have any enemies!' Ron asked to nobody in particular.

'We don't know that, Mr. Weasley' Poppy said. 'The important thing now is to take her to the hospital wing now and take care of her... if it's not too late.'

'Everybody now please, go to your rooms' Dumbledore ordered. 'I know you are worried about your partner's condition, but I promise you you'll be informed as soon as we know something about her condition. Of course, Mr. Wesley, you can come if you want.'

Ron stood up in order to follow the magical stretch that was carrying his sister towards the hospital wing but he stopped immediately when he noticed something lying on the chair Ginny had been seating on seconds before. He took it and all colour seemed to drain from his face as he stormed out of the room in opposite direction to the hospital wing.

'Ron!' Harry shouted, noticing the condition in which Ron had left, and starting to leave after him.

'Leave him, Harry' Hermione stopped him. 'Maybe he just needs some time alone, you know how he feels about Ginny.'

'Maybe you are right. It's just that... I am so worried about him...'

'I now, Harry' Hermione looked at him intensely, and for a moment Harry thought that she probably knew how he really felt about Ron, but that couldn't be, could it? He had been very careful to not make it very obvious. 'Let's go to bed, we'll talk to him in the morning. He'll probably be at the hospital wing all night, anyway.'

'Ok, Good night, Hermione.'

An hour after going to bed, sleep hadn't come to Harry, as neither Ron had come to their room. Hermione was probably right, he must be with Ginny, but he wasn't convinced. Maybe he should go looking for him. Or maybe he should look at the marauders map, how come he hadn't thought about that before?

He got up and took the map from under his bed, where he kept it in a suitcase with his invisibility cloak. He opened it, careful of not making noise as to not wake up the others, and was surprised to see Ron's label on the library. He didn't doubt a second and grabbed his shoes and a jacket and went looking for his friend.

When he arrived to the library, he found Ron seating on a chair in front of the fireplace, absently staring into the flames. He kept playing with something in his hand, something harry could not see from where he was standing, so he approached his friend.

'Go away' Ron was not as absent as Harry had thought.

'What's the matter, Ron?'

'I asked you to go away, Harry.' Ron almost whispered without even turning around.

'I don't want to. I'm worried about you.'

'You shouldn't be. I'm not worth it.'

"Why do you say so?'

'Because it's the truth.'

'Ron, I know you are very worried about Ginny...'

'You know what this is?' For the first time since they began talking, Ron looked at harry, and showed him what he was holding in his hand.

'It's a button. A button from a Gryffindor cloak.'

'No, it's not. It looks like it, but it's not identical. My mother uses them if we lose one of our buttons 'cause they are cheaper.'

'And why are you showing me this?'

'Cause when I woke up from my passing out I realised I had lost one from my cloak.' Ron's voice was extremely calm, so calm that it frightened Harry more than anything could have. It was as if Ron didn't care anymore. 'Do you know where I found him? Next to my sister, when they took her to the hospital. Do you know what this means?'

'Ron, please...'

'Come on, Harry' Ron shouted suddenly, scaring Harry even more. 'Don't deny you are thinking the same! I did this to Ginny! I tried to kill my sister!'

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--- Well... and some months later... here it is, a new chapter. I hope you enjoyed it!


	6. Caring

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters of this story, are they are exclusively from J.K. Rowling and some companies, and I'm no taking any economic profit of this.

Author's note: If you have read the previous chapters you will know Harry, Ron and Hermione are supposed to be on their sixth grade. Well, I started this fic before "Half-blood Prince" came out, so it's as if that one never happened (don't misunderstand me, I've loved the book, in fact I think it's the best one!), but it wouldn't make sense to my story. So if you haven't read that book, don't worry, there are no spoilers here!

Summary: Ron is decided to go away, what will Harry do about it?

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'I can't stay here… who knows who is going to be the next victim…' Ron spoke as he paced in front of the fireplace, almost as he wasn't aware of Harry's presence.

'Ron?' Harry said, tentatively.

'What?' Ron seemed to come out of his stupor.

'What do you mean you can't stay here?'

'Well, it's quite obvious, isn't it? I'm not staying in a place full of friends I can hurt!'

'Ron, you don't know for sure it was you…'

'Harry, you know it as well as I do.' Ron was starting to lose his nerves

'No, I don't, I don't think you would be able to hurt…'

'Harry, it's not a question if I would be able or not!' Ron was almost shouting, fear evident in his voice. 'I can't control it!

'But I can! I promised I would be with you to be sure nothing happened!' Harry said, not raising his voice, trying to stay calm.

'But something already happened!'

'This time I won't leave you alone and I won't let you hurt anyone!'

'Can't you understand? It's you I'm afraid to hurt!' Ron shouted before he had time to realise what he was saying.

They both fell in an uncomfortable silence, neither knowing what to say after Ron's kind of confession. They looked at each other right in the eyes for a second, and then Ron turned around to stare into the fire again, ashamed of his lack of control when speaking.

Harry was not sure of what had just happened there. Ron was worried about him? It was him he was afraid of hurting the most? Ron had never mentioned him appearing in his strange nightmares, wasn't just his family? Or maybe it was people who he loved? Did Ron love him? Well of course he did, they had been the best of friends for years, but… was there any chance there was something more?

Ron was not moving nor saying anything, so Harry approached him from behind and put his hand on the other boy shoulder. At least he is not moving away from here, Harry thought.

'Harry' Ron spoke before giving Harry time to come up with an intelligent thing to say, 'I'm sorry I said that, I didn't want to make you uncomfortable.'

'No, Ron, you didn't. What you said was… wonderful.'

At that, Ron turned again towards Harry, but this one never lost his grip on his friend. Ron looked at him intensely, but he finally sighed and looked down.

'Well, this doesn't change a thing. I have to go away.'

'Then I'm coming with you.'

'No, you aren't.'

'Ron, you are my best friend, remember? You've always been there for me, let me be the one to help for a change.'

'This time it could be dangerous'

'More than when you risked your life at wizard's chest? Or we went into the Ministry looking for Sirius? You knew it was dangerous then, and you came anyway.'

'Yes, but that was 'cause I didn't want anything to happen to you. I… care about you. A lot.'

'Then don't be selfish and let me care about you too!'

'But what if I attack you?'

'I'm willing to take the risk. And besides, who says you would beat me?'

At that Ron had to smile.

'Ok, you can come if you want, but we are not telling anyone, not even Hermione.'

'Of course not. Do we take something?'

'Yes, we could grab some clothes and maybe convince Dobby into stealing some food from the kitchen for us, what do you think?'

'Ok, we'll do that.

'And Harry…'

'Yes?'

'Thank you. Thank you very much.'

'No problem. I do care about you too, you know.'

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--- Well... it's been an awful long time… so sorry… very very busy… by the way, I've noticed that I haven't been replying your reviews, and I don't know why, 'cause I always do in every chapter, at least I do with all the other stories. So, very late, but here it is:

TIE-82871: Thank you! Well, I'm on my sixth chapter now, I hope you are still reading!

ARYNNL: Well, since you were interested I kept up. Thank you very much!

GOBLZ: You told me you liked how everything was set up on the first chapter… And thanks again for reviewing twice! Very useful the information you gave me about anonymous reviews… I hope the rest didn't disappoint you! Thank you very much!

LOVINMYTASTYCASYCONNOR: Wow, what a long nick! Thank you very much, your review was great, very inspiring. Sorry for taking soooo long to update, I hope you weren't tired of waiting and you still like it so much. Thank you!

LIZZY HALLIWELL: Wow, poor you, you wanted to read more immediately and look how much time I made you wait! I'm sorry! Thank you for your review, it was great! Hope you still like it!

ICKLEAMYKINS: Well, the same goes as Lizzy Halliwell… sorry for taking so long! Thank you!

DARK SAGE: I hope my story is still one of your favourites after so long… And thanks a lot for taking the trouble to review twice, specially after so much time. Thank you very much!

JACKSLASS: Well, it looks like there will be some slash… or maybe not, but the feelings are there alright… Again, sorry for taking so long and thanks a lot!

AMANDAG.: Well, I've continued, though I think you meant sooner… well, better late than never! Thank you very much, I hope you like it!

GREENPLUFF: Yeah, I think chapter five is the best of them too. I hope you like the sixth nonetheless, and will continue reading (when I am able to update). I take more time than Rowling herself! Well, thank you very much!

THE DARK LADY 66: Yeah, I know there's a lot of mistakes, I've been reading it again and I've seen some of them, I'll try to correct them… my English is not perfect, is it? Thank you very much, I hope you lied that new chapter too!

DERVLA: Thank you for saying it's very unique! I hope I don't disappoint you with my next chapters. Your review was so stimulating… Thank you!


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